Challenges of Relocating

I've done my best to search the forums, but could not find the right threads or the right people to connect with, so I wanted to go to the source.

I have already relocated and established residency in CO, but have not yet obtained my badge or moved the rest of my family out here. I've grown for the last 6 years and understand that I'm not going to CO to open my own dispensary or my own grow or anything remotely close for the first several years, if ever.

I'm trying to base my family's relocation decision on real numbers from people that are in the industry, NOW. As someone who has no documented work history within the cannabis industry, since I've lived in a state where MMJ just became legal, how can I prove my skills to an employer?

I have to assume that any job with real responsibility like a master grower is off the table due to no documented experience, right? Is it safe to assume that I'll have no choice but to start at the entry-level as a trimmer / nute-mixer in order to climb the ladder?

I've seen most trimmers make $11/hr. What's an assistant grower make? What's a master grower make?

I'm sure this has been asked a dozen times, but I couldn't find the right info. Any help is appreciated.
PMs greatly appreciated if you're a grower and don't want to identify yourself or your salary.

i'm a co. citizen, and don't know anyone in the industry. i didn't know there were "master," growers etc. i would imagine that no matter what the business is, they're all interested in hiring as cheaply as possible. i figure a lot of folks consider themselves master gardeners, lol. i don't see a future in the industry, unless you're the one with the biz.

Master growers are paid based on their skill at growing and negotiating for compensation. Sad part is that most so called master growers are sorely lacking in at least one of those skill sets.

Assistant growers are paid as little as possible.

It's business now. Taxes and licensing fees have eradicated the high profit margins thus leaving less wealth to spread. Welcome to Arbys....

SnapsProvolone said:

Master growers are paid based on their skill at growing and negotiating for compensation. Sad part is that most so called master growers are sorely lacking in at least one of those skill sets. Assistant growers are paid as little as possible.

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i can't imagine what an assistant would do. what, you follow the master around with a clipboard taking notes, lol? you're prob. better off being your own boss with a bedroom garden...

Silky Shagsalot said:

i can't imagine what an assistant would do. what, you follow the master around with a clipboard taking notes, lol? you're prob. better off being your own boss with a bedroom garden...

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They water and do all the bitch work. The master just supervises and plans. Unless it's a small op.

so the master is the massa, and the assistant is the slave, perfect, lol...

I've owned an operated my own business (non-cannabis) for 5+ years and I understand the way business works; wanting to hire as cheaply as possible and so forth. I appreciate your input Silky, but it doesn't help me in my quest.

Snaps thank you for the response about compensation and I agree that the growers likely lack negotiation skills. Do you know any actual growers that have gone through this process?

There has to be someone out there that has started as a trimmer and worked their way up... anyone care to share?

hey dream, so this is what you want to do as a career? i imagine the competition for these positions is up there. in order to get into the industry is just gonna take time/patience. i figure the best way to break into this quickly, would be to show what you can do. grow something popular, and grow it well. give it a nice cure, and turn them on to some free samples. that may get you farther up on the hiring list. a lot of folks think they can grow well. you'd prob. do well to just show them what you're capable of...

That's not a bad idea at all.

really don't wanna burst your cannabis industry bubble dreamleach but here I go.

I've worked in the industry badged, made good money too. ran genetics at $25/hr, "master" growers aka flower room slaves (haha can count on one hand the amt of true masters I've met in the industry) will make $20-25 / hr with potential bonuses for hitting weight marks. of course many times investors would simply lie about yield in order to pay their workers minimum wages allowable. then the assistant growers will make anywhere from $10-15/hr to basically do all the grunt work. Trimmers make anywhere from $9-12$ /hr so hardly a surviving wage considering CO cost of living.

Truth is everyone with any previous industry experience who got badged to work through mmed/med has gone back to blowing up their garage/ basement/ outdoor/ greenhouse because the only folks this industry benefits financially is those who can pay to play.

I have seen an incredible amount of people who are participating in the industry thinking they will get enough know how to turn around and make money on their own doing this. the reality is it's in your employers best interest to keep you uneducated and making as little as possible.

Unless you have a very wealthy investor I'd look into and stick to caregiver growing. good luck!

garlictrain said:

really don't wanna burst your cannabis industry bubble dreamleach but here I go.

I've worked in the industry badged, made good money too. ran genetics at $25/hr, "master" growers aka flower room slaves (haha can count on one hand the amt of true masters I've met in the industry) will make $20-25 / hr with potential bonuses for hitting weight marks. of course many times investors would simply lie about yield in order to pay their workers minimum wages allowable. then the assistant growers will make anywhere from $10-15/hr to basically do all the grunt work. Trimmers make anywhere from $9-12$ /hr so hardly a surviving wage considering CO cost of living.

Truth is everyone with any previous industry experience who got badged to work through mmed/med has gone back to blowing up their garage/ basement/ outdoor/ greenhouse because the only folks this industry benefits financially is those who can pay to play.

I have seen an incredible amount of people who are participating in the industry thinking they will get enough know how to turn around and make money on their own doing this. the reality is it's in your employers best interest to keep you uneducated and making as little as possible.

Unless you have a very wealthy investor I'd look into and stick to caregiver growing. good luck!

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^ Sums the matter up rather neatly.

SnapsProvolone said:

Master growers are paid based on their skill at growing and negotiating for compensation. Sad part is that most so called master growers are sorely lacking in at least one of those skill sets.

Assistant growers are paid as little as possible.

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I know some "master growers" and some of them aren't even as good as me. Honestly, the majority of dispensary weed that I have seen or smoked is pretty shitty. And by shitty, I mean I used to get better shit in Florida than the vast majority of these dispensaries are selling, not really sure what the problem is. Perhaps demand is so high they simply don't give a shit because they know it will sell regardless?

beanzz said:

... Perhaps demand is so high they simply don't give a shit because they know it will sell regardless?

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Pretty much correct.

Tuesday a few more states are voting for legalization in one form or another...

Alaska - full legalization, Ballot Measure 2
Oregon - full legalization, Ballot Measure 91
Washington D.C. - semi-legalization, initiative 71
Florida - Medical mmj, Amendment 21
Maine - semi-legalization, Following Portland’s lead, two other cities have measures loosening marijuana restrictions on Tuesday’s ballot.

It's interesting to me being an economist how low the wages in the cannabis industry are, but at the same time, not really. You have to have a skill, and a good one. Either running a business, or knowing how to grow, and I mean better than pretty much anyone else. Otherwise you are going to be put to work doing labor. Like previously stated, most of the profit margin is gone for the scale most grows are.

@dreamleech something that will help, at least get folks to notice may be your wares. May be tricky, however having good genetics grown great and having top of the line genetics as good or better that are available at shop. Come back and be diligent. Or have another skill that might set you apart from every other clown with some good weed and the "I want to grow cannabis professionally" stars in their eys. I happen to be an electrician, and wired the whole garden where I currently work. While doing the job I was bringing down flowers so show off my mediocre skills hahaha. True. Things went well for me and now I get to breed cannabis on the clock.

Good luck to you.

@beanz - I think you're on to something that volume is the priority right now, not necessarily quality.

@blackforest - most of the profit margin eaten up by those at the top? So unless you're running your own operation, which I know means political connections and the stars aligning perfectly, there's nothing but wage workers left, eh?

@homebrew420 - this is the exact type thing that I needed to hear that gives me some semblance of hope. I have a TON of other skills; growing is just one of them that I enjoy the most and I see as most rewarding. However, I've owned and operated a couple of different businesses over the last 14 years so I'd love to work in the operations side of things as well.

I guess having the exposure to those that make the decisions is going to be key, and the only way to accomplish that is to get a foot in the door anyway I can (with any other skill) to so I can then show an example of what I can produce. Thank you for your input Homebrew.

Any others have a similar experience to homebrew?

Anytime mange. I will be brutally honest like @garlictrain and say it is cutthroat at this point. I worked as an electician for almost 2 years coming back and doing work before I got a phone call. This was because of college experience in the horticultural department. I am a plant enthusiast. I love the challenge of growing oddball plants of all types. I have an undying love for cannabis and it is obvious to those who chose to employ me. If you can show owners/managers you too posses the same passion and expertise in growing skill, it is NOT outside the realm of possibility.

Peace and great luck to you

dreamleech said:

@beanz - I think you're on to something that volume is the priority right now, not necessarily quality.

@blackforest - most of the profit margin eaten up by those at the top? So unless you're running your own operation, which I know means political connections and the stars aligning perfectly, there's nothing but wage workers left, eh?

@homebrew420 - this is the exact type thing that I needed to hear that gives me some semblance of hope. I have a TON of other skills; growing is just one of them that I enjoy the most and I see as most rewarding. However, I've owned and operated a couple of different businesses over the last 14 years so I'd love to work in the operations side of things as well.

I guess having the exposure to those that make the decisions is going to be key, and the only way to accomplish that is to get a foot in the door anyway I can (with any other skill) to so I can then show an example of what I can produce. Thank you for your input Homebrew.

Any others have a similar experience to homebrew?

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The only other thing I can really think of would be to get a job at a grow shop. The one I go to is always busy, they just moved to a bigger location, and are opening more stores. At least you get to talk about growing all day every day. Not to mention being exposed to how all types of people grow. The guys are always friendly too.

Ill let you know right now, as someone who has just done this and picked up the wife and kids and made the move... I have submitted just over 100 resumes, 30 something of them online the others from walking into every marijuana related venue I could find minus headshops. I didn't have any experience in MMJ but I have a decent resume I worked and managed a very large hydro store in Texas, I also went to school for botany, and I have set up 20+ grow houses, along with references from hydro farm the owners from my old work and bosses.
I received 1 call back from an online turn in from Altitude Organics for a trimming position 10$/hr. I worked there 2 weeks and the owners reassured us they had so much coming down all the time that we had job security, a week later they let me and 5 other people go out of the 30 or 35 I figured hey what ever maybe I wasn't trimming fast enough. I ran into one of the guys I sat next to and trimmed with at a dispensary that I do consulting for, and he told me that they ended up letting 6 people go every week until there was only 4 or 5 trimmers left, he said he was still looking for work.
The only other call that I had received was from A Wellness for a bud tending position, after talking with them for 20 mins I now do consulting for them. There is not much work in CO, At least in the springs area, the master grower get paid 12$/hr maybe a little more and 10$/hr for the trimming jobs and they are not consistent....
I started my own business WeedSquad (Garden Consulting) and I also do freelance extracting, without that I wouldn't be able to make it here, there are a lot of people turning tail and heading back home because they thought it would be the land of milk and honey.
But with that said there is money to be made here if you go about it in the right way and try to figure out your niche and making it desirable you can make a living. I wont lie to you I came to CO in November last year so exactly a year and it has been touch and go, I thought multiple times what the hell have I done, I spent all my money and 35k I borrowed from friends and family and I am going to have to move back with nothing to show for it and debt, but I have made a few good contacts and a couple of great people, the coolest and nicest person I have meet in CO has been from RIU @SnapsProvolone
Connections, I am sure you have heard the phrase its not what you know it is who..... well that applies but you also have to know something
If you are a go getter it is possible to make it it is also possible to loose your ass...